Convergence - The Last Science #2.2 - Heroes and Villains

B2: Chapter 21 - A Return to Form - IV

  "Pull off here," said Rachel.

  "That dump?" Jeremy asked dubiously.

  They were a block away from the most forlorn abandoned convenience store Jeremy had ever seen. He was shocked it hadn't been condemned and taken down—but this part of the city was notoriously filled with stubborn old landowners and a real lack of motivation to develop. The vicious cycle of no one wanting to invest because it had no existing value, which lead right back to no value again.

  He couldn't imagine someone like a Laushire living here. Buying the property and developing it maybe, but not eating, sleeping, and pissing here.

  Not only was the property itself dilapidated, but the entire street wasn't much better. Half-broken chain-link fences, the remains of a homeless camp, and boarded up buildings lined both sides of the street. In the distance, he could see the beginnings of proper city streets, but it was at least two blocks away. This whole section was left for dead, and their presence felt unwelcome. Even as he watched, a kid in an oversized green army jacket with a wicked scar on her face emerged from the store and fled away from their car, straight into the gnarled woods that jutted up against the building.

  Christ, even the street don't want this street. Seems like prime territory to me.

  "Hmm," Rachel murmured, staring at her phone in the back seat.

  "What?"

  "She's not answering."

  Jeremy shrugged. "So let's just go in anyway."

  "There's nowhere to 'go in' to. She doesn't live there, that's just where to get into her real home."

  "...Meaning what exactly?"

  Rachel paused. "Call it a sort of door, that opens to somewhere completely different."

  "What, like another dimension?" I'm not that ignorant. I'm twice your age, but I can keep up. "Just cut to the chase, girl."

  She nodded. "Kendra can create pocket dimensions where distances do not correlate with their real world counterpart. She uses a miniature version of this to create doors that effectively teleport you as you walk through. That building is just a convenient memorable anchor point."

  "...All right. So her house ain't here, is what I'm gettin'."

  "Yes." She frowned, still staring at her phone. "And she's not answering me."

  "You sure she's even got signal wherever she is?"

  "Or maybe she's just busy," added Maddie.

  Jeremy jumped. "Jesus, you're awake?

  "Awake and starvin'. Are we there yet?"

  "Yes 'n no..." Jeremy stared at the building. "So should we just go up and knock?"

  "No point..." Rachel said, trailing off. "I haven't spoken to her in months. Maybe she moved."

  "We don't have all day," said Maddie, stifling a yawn as she sat up. "I had to buy your meeting with Courtney tonight, and you're still gonna be sharing the space with a few other notables."

  "What's the plan, anyway? For the big meetin', I mean." Jeremy asked, glancing over at Rachel. She looked worried, which didn't sit well with him. If the big bad leader's thinking somethin's wrong, should I be lookin' out for more of those fucking golems?

  I miss normal bad guys with normal guns.

  "It's a first step," said Rachel, still tapping away at her phone.

  "I thought you and my sister was the first step."

  "Okay, so it's more like step fifty-seven," she sighed. "With Maddie's help, I want to approach the governor and try to arrange for a reasonable level of protection for my people. Get attacks recognized as a hate crime, for a start."

  "What do you need Laushire for, then?"

  "Last time I saw her, she was already in tight with the devil," added Maddie, leaning forward between the two seats and plucking a couple of peanuts out of the open bag on the center console. "Under a fake name, but she was rubbin' shoulders and tradin' favors with the whole crowd."

  "I..." Rachel hesitated, glancing away. "I don't need her. You're right." Petrichor wafted through the car as the first few drops of rain started pattering on the roof. "Let's not stay here any longer."

  "I hear that," Jeremy muttered, immediately turning the car back on. They pulled out of the forlorn city block and back into the living part of Seattle. "Anyone else from your old life we should check in with?"

  "...No."

  Jeremy looked over, but Rachel was still turned away. watching the street go by. Whatever. It's her call. "You got it."